It is natural for one’s background, rewards system and work history to influence his or her perspective. However, when it comes to delivering compelling customer experiences, failure to embrace the customer’s perspective can negate well-meaning efforts.
These days, next to the cell phone, a coffee cup is likely to be the next most common to be in a customer’s hand. This has not been lost on the major grocery chains as they all seem to be clamoring to install an in-store Starbucks. My local Safeway added and in-store Starbucks even though there was already a Starbucks two doors away.
I had noticed people buying a Starbucks coffee before entering Safeway. In fact, I had begun doing so; it seemed to fit in with the grocery shopping. When the in-store Starbucks started serving latte and Americanos, there was an increase in the number of shoppers with their right hand chest high-holding and sipping the brew. One of the unintended consequences was an increase in the number of partially consumed coffee cups left on shelves. People need to free up their hands to make purchases and maintain control over their shopping cart. These occurrences are not unique to Safeway.
However, Safeway was the first one that I noticed to do something about it. Safeway put a cup holder on the shopping cart. Nice idea but they engineered it from the wrong perspective. The cup holder was placed ¾ the way down the cart making it an awkward reach for anyone pushing the cart. My first impression was it was done with the right intention, but at the same time Safeway did not want to compromise the small basket at the back of the shopping cart. Rather than being helpful, the weird ergonomics were annoying. Naturally, the store is concerned about making it easy to fill the cart. But they failed to put themselves in the customers’ shoes. Customers clearly are signaling that having a coffee while shopping is a desired experience.
A few days ago I went into a non-chain store who had taken the customers’ perspective. Their carts had two coffee holders at the back of the cart where the customer pushes-one holder for a right hander and one for a left hander. But they went a step further; they modified the small item basket to work with the cup holders. What a pleasant surprise.
